William e



(No Model.)

W. R. BAGL.EY.

GAR COUPLING. No. 266,961. Patented Nov. '7, 1882.

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WILLIAM B. BAGL'EY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, A SSIGNQR OF ONE-HALF TO CHRIS. II. HARMENING, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 266,961, dated November '7, 1882.

Application filed August It, 1882. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern: ta] flange A and A. The movable wedge- Be it known that I, WILLIAM It. BAGLEY, shaped catches or hooks BandBare pivoted to a citizen of the United States, residing at IntlangesLand L, moving on thepivots O and O, dianapolis, in the county of Marion and State their shanks being extended beyond the cenof Indiana, have invented certain new and useter, as shown in Fig. 1. The stationary hooks 5 ful Improvements in Oar-Couplings, of which D D, moving toward B and B, slide on the the following is a specification, reference being plain vertical face K K of I and I, and will, had therein to the accompanying drawings. in consequence of the wedge shape of the hook The object of my invention is to provide an D and D, push or slide the movable catch- IO automatic caucoupling adapted for the purhooks B and B laterally, and thus allow them pose otcoupling cars of different heights, also to slip in sufficiently to enable the movable couple cars provided with the ordinary drawcatch-hooks B and B to fall back and take a head or link-coupling to cars provided with my firm hold, and thus connect the two cars. The new device. springs a a, pressing on the back of B and B,

15 The device of my coupling, hereinafter more will keep them in position, and will also allow fully described, relates (in case both ends of them to open sufficiently'to receive and, by the car are provided with my invention) to the falling back, to hold the hooks D and D. To class of automatic self-closing couplings. disengage these hooks D and I) and to cut tcfcrring to the accompanying drawings car-trains, a chain, E andE, is fastened to a 20 and the letters ofreference thcreon,allof which lever, F and F,on the rear of the hooks B and are made a part of this specification, Figurel B. Lever F and F is made of suiiicient is a plan view of my coupling, and, as shown, length to extend over and above the top of bolted to the cross-pieces G G of the two ordithe cars, and is so arranged as to be convennary car-frames, a portion of these frames only icntly handled by the switchman or brakeman.

25 being shown. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section To lever F and F a side bar, f, may be pro of the letthand car, shown ouFig. 1 and on vided and attached at a convenient height the dotted lines X X, and looking upward to from the ground to enable the brakeman to the same, in which form the interchangeability move lever F and F while standing on the of my coupling is plainly visible. Fig. 3 repground from either side of the car.

0 resents a perspective view of my device de- The usual devices of deadening the blow of tached from the car-frame, and with the ordicars surgingfiogether, by springs or india-rubnary link-guide and link-pin inserted. Fig. 4 bet buffers, can be provided for as illustrated is a perspective end view of a car with my or in any other manner. device attached, and illustrating the.- discon- In case of an accident, supposing one of the 35 meeting-lever arrangement and the mode of books or catch-hooks to be broken, the other disengaging cars, the brakeman or other emwill still have a sufficient hold to keep the cars ploy being either 011 the top of the car or on connected, and on passing a curve the hooks level ground. and catch-hooks will follow the motion of the In Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, I I represent an orcars without unusual strain or wear and tear,

o dinary draw-head, with flanges A and A and in the same way the hooks and catch- 0 bolted to the cross-pieces G and G. The ver'tihooks allow of a much greater play vertically cal sideKof Iand lis a straight plane, and the in case of descending or ascending grade or whole forming in its construction an ordinary inclined plane. draw-head to receive a guide-link and link-pin. To provide for the difference of height in 5 ()n the left side of I and I, as represented in different cars and to enable them to be coupled 5 drawings, Fig. 1, a wedge-shaped hook, D and without trouble and prevent their becoming D, is permanently attached, being either cast disconnected while in motion, the movable or bolted thereon, according to the material catch-hooks B and B are made of a sufficient used. This hook D and D is so at'fixed as to width vertically so as to allow the stationary 50 be vertical and at right angles to the horizonhooks D and D to have a firm hold at alltimes. I'oo By reviewing my invention as a whole, the following are the principal advantages which I claim for the same, The coupler can be made entirely of cast material, or by making either the whole or a part of it of wrought-iron and wood its weight is less than the present draw-bar heads in use, and, as before said, in case of one hook or catch-book breaking the other is still of sufficient strength and holds so firmly that the train of cars will not be disconnected. It wilt couple any and.all height of cars, and without stopping, by the simple use of levers F and F thus avoiding accident to the men, and cars can be coupled or cut in trains in less time and without danger to men than by the present system. When my coupler is used, the cars, in case of jumping the track or other sudden motion, either vertical or sidewise, will not uncouple or become disconnected, nor is the coupler as likely to break as is the case with a guide-link now in use, but will hold the cars together, thus saving lives and property. It is durable, simple, and not liable to get out of order, and' in case of a wreck it can be easily replaced by a new one or its parts, and its cost, though it may be greater than the old form, is fullycompensated by its many advantages of durability, safety, and saving of time, and its freedom from danger to the employs.

Having now fully described my invention and its advantages, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A car'coupler consisting of an openmouthed draw-head, a rigid projecting hookbar, D, with an outturned hook upon one side of the draw-head. and a short pivoted hook upon the other side, the construction and combination being substantially as herein described.

2. A draw-head having flange A and a long projecting hook, D, and a short hook, B, piv oted in ears 0 on the flange A, the parts being combined and operating substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM R. BAGLEY.

Witnesses FRIEDRICH THOMS, HUGH MCBRIDE. 

